JP6329926B2 - Turbulent jet ignition precombustion chamber combustion system for spark ignition engines - Google Patents

Description

(Cross-reference of related applications)
This application is filed on November 1, 2011, and is named “Combustion System in Turbulent Jet Ignition Precombustion Chamber for Spark Ignition Engines” and has a serial number of 13 / 286,638 in the United States. Continuation application, filed on November 1, 2010, with the name "Combustion system of turbulent jet ignition pre-combustion chamber for spark ignition engine" and serial number 61 / 408,892 Claim the benefit of US provisional patent applications.

(Technical field)
The present invention relates generally to ignition systems, and more particularly to ignition systems for internal combustion engines. The internal combustion engine has at least one combustion chamber having an injector, an igniter, and a pre-combustion chamber that can be used to ignite a small amount of supply fuel, which is then Used to ignite the main supply air / fuel mixture in the main combustion chamber of the internal combustion engine.

  An internal combustion engine known in the related art generally includes, among other basic components, an engine block having one or more cylinders, a cylinder head associated with the engine block, and each for reciprocal motion. A piston supported in the cylinder. The piston is generally connected to a connecting rod that in turn rotates the crankshaft. Generally, fuel is ignited in the cylinder, causing the piston to reciprocate. The piston drives the connecting rod, and the connecting rod drives a crankshaft, so that the crankshaft rotates within the engine block.

  In addition to such a standard configuration, it is also known to use a pre-combustion chamber, in which a small amount of fuel is ignited and the main fuel is ignited in the main combustion chamber. Used to be. Over the years, many different precombustion chamber designs and configurations have been proposed in the relevant technical field. However, internal combustion engines with a pre-combustion chamber have not been widely accepted in the market in the automotive industry. The reason is that internal combustion engines typically have high cost and complexity issues, and fuel costs are not improved or contaminants have not been significantly reduced, so the increased cost cannot be justified. Because there was a case.

  Therefore, in the technical field of ignition systems for internal combustion engines, there is a need to improve fuel economy, reduce pollutants caused by combustion products, and to be cost-effective to manufacture without being overly complex. was there.

The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of ignition systems for internal combustion engines having at least one combustion chamber in the related art. The ignition system includes a housing that is defined within the cylinder head of the internal combustion engine. The housing defines a precombustion chamber. The ignition device is supported in the housing. The ignition device has an igniter portion substantially facing the pre-combustion chamber. The injector is supported in the housing. The injector has a nozzle that substantially faces the precombustion chamber. The pre-combustion chamber defines a base end portion, and the pre-combustion chamber nozzle is disposed at a distance, and is spaced from the base end portion of the pre-combustion chamber. The pre-combustion chamber nozzle includes a plurality of orifices, the orifices having a diameter in the range of 0.7 mm to 2.0 mm, and spaced apart from each other, between the pre-combustion chamber and the combustion chamber. In fluid communication. The igniter portion of the ignition device and the nozzle of the injector are configured such that the injector carries a predetermined amount of the fuel into the pre-combustion chamber, and the igniter portion ignites the fuel in the pre-combustion chamber. Is burned out through the orifice of the pre-combustion chamber and extinguished, but the combusted pre-combustion chamber product is dispersed through the main combustion chamber and the to ignite the main fuel supply of the main combustion chamber is operably supported on the base end portion of said pre-chamber.

  In one embodiment, the turbulent turbulent-ignition precombustion chamber combustion system of the present invention uses a small maintained orifice diameter when the combustion product exits the precombustion chamber and enters the main combustion chamber. Promotes extinguishing. The combustion product reacts with the main supply fuel, and starts combustion in the main combustion chamber at a plurality of locations separated from the precombustion chamber nozzle by a certain distance due to chemical, heat, and turbulent flow effects. In this way, the ignition system of the present invention enables high peak thermal efficiency (greater than 45%) with wide open throttle (WOT) and improved fuel efficiency in high drive cycles (partial load). Yes, fuel efficiency improvements can reach up to 30% over standard conventional spark ignition systems in an optimized engine. These improvements in engine performance are due to a combination of improved combustion, reduced heat loss, little dissociation due to low combustion temperatures, and reduced engine throttle at part load. Furthermore, compared with the conventional spark ignition combustion system, the ignition system of the present invention facilitates low temperature combustion that can substantially reduce NOx exhaust discharged from the engine, while the above-described precombustion chamber combustion is performed. Overcoming the decline in peak performance (BMEP: net mean effective pressure) and obstacles to uncontrollable hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. As such, the ignition system of the present invention can be utilized in engines with existing exhaust control systems found in conventional passenger cars (oxidation and three-way catalysts) to meet current and future emission regulations. Finally, the ignition system of the present invention is “bolted” fixed that can function in any spark ignition engine (before and after production) without requiring modification of the basic engine hardware using carbon-based fuels. Also provide.

  These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily understood when the following description is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and will be readily understood.

FIG. 1 is a partial cross-sectional side view of an ignition system of the present invention, wherein the ignition system is in an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber formed by a piston disposed in a cylinder and surrounded by a cylinder head. Installed. FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the ignition system of the present invention. FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional side view of the ignition system of the present invention installed in an internal combustion engine. FIG. 4 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional side view showing the injector and ignition device installed in the precombustion chamber of the ignition system. FIG. 5 is a top view of the combustion chamber showing the placement of the ignition system relative to the intake and exhaust ports. FIG. 6 is a partial three-dimensional view showing the orifice of the pre-combustion chamber nozzle. FIG. 7 is a graph showing the ignition sequence for one or more complete engine cycles of the ignition system of the present invention. FIG. 8A is a graph showing combustion stability versus exhaust lambda (λ) comparing the spark ignition system and the turbulent jet ignition system of the present invention. FIG. 8B is a graph showing the absolute pressure of the intake manifold along with the pumping average effective pressure for the exhaust lambda, comparing the spark ignition system and the turbulent jet ignition system of the present invention. FIG. 8C is a graph showing thermal efficiency versus exhaust lambda comparing the spark ignition system and the turbulent jet ignition system of the present invention. FIG. 8D is a graph showing the exhaust port temperature versus exhaust lambda, comparing the spark ignition system and the turbulent jet ignition system of the present invention. FIG. 8E is a graph showing normalized thermal efficiency for spark ignition with equal lambda (stoichiometric operation) versus exhaust lambda, comparing the spark ignition system and the turbulent jet ignition system of the present invention. . FIG. 8F is a graph showing NOx emissions exiting the engine relative to the exhaust lambda comparing the spark ignition system and the turbulent jet ignition system of the present invention. FIG. 8G is a graph showing the HC exhaust exiting the engine relative to the exhaust lambda comparing the spark ignition system and the turbulent jet ignition system of the present invention. FIG. 8H is a graph showing CO emissions from the engine relative to the exhaust lambda comparing the spark ignition system and the turbulent jet ignition system of the present invention. FIG. 9A is a graph of crank angle versus exhaust lambda showing the combustion angle comparing the spark ignition system and the turbulent jet ignition system of the present invention. FIG. 9B is a graph showing a combustion mass fraction of 0-10% for fuel lambda comparing the spark ignition system and the turbulent jet ignition system of the present invention. FIG. 9C is a graph showing a combustion mass fraction of 10-90% for fuel lambda comparing the spark ignition system and the turbulent jet ignition system of the present invention. FIG. 9D is a graph showing a combustion mass fraction of 0-10% for fuel lambda comparing the spark ignition system and the turbulent jet ignition system of the present invention. FIG. 9E is a graph showing a combustion mass fraction of 10-90% for fuel lambda comparing the spark ignition system and the turbulent jet ignition system of the present invention.

  The present invention overcomes the shortcomings of the ignition system, generally indicated at 10 in FIGS. Here, like reference numerals are used to denote like structures throughout the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, the present invention is particularly adapted for use in an internal combustion engine, generally designated 12. In this case, the ignition system 10 of the present invention is shown connected to a single cylinder 14 of the internal combustion engine 12. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the engine 12 shown in FIG. 1 is only one of many configurations of an internal combustion engine in which the present invention can be used. For example, the present invention can be used in 2-stroke or 4-stroke engines. Furthermore, the ignition system 10 can also be used in a multi-cylinder engine in which the cylinders are arranged in a row, in a V-shape, or in a flat manner, or any commonly known in the art. It can be arranged in other ways. The present invention can also be used with a carburetor or a fuel-injected internal combustion engine having either a port of a feed air / fuel mixture to the main combustion chamber or a direct injection injector.

  With continued reference to FIG. 1, the internal combustion engine 12 includes an engine block 16 that includes one or more cylinders 14, and a cylinder head that is associated with the engine block 16 and generally indicated at 18. A piston, indicated generally at 20, is supported within the cylinder 14 for repeated reciprocating motion. The piston 20, the cylinder 14, and the cylinder head 18 cooperate to define a combustion chamber 22. A connecting rod, indicated generally at 24, is secured to the piston 20 by a piston pin 26. The crankshaft 28 is associated with the connecting rod 24 and the oil pan 30 is associated with the engine block 16. The cylinder head 18 defines an intake manifold 32 and an exhaust manifold 34. At least one intake port 36 is defined in the intake manifold 32 and at least one exhaust port 38 is defined in the exhaust manifold 34. The intake and exhaust ports 36 and 38 are opened and closed by valves (not shown) driven by cams, and fluidly communicate between the cylinder 14 and the intake manifold 32 and between the cylinder 14 and the exhaust manifold 34, respectively. As illustrated in FIG. 5 in a top view of the combustion chamber, in one embodiment, the internal combustion engine 12 may include two intake ports 36 and two exhaust ports 38. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the internal combustion engine 10 may include any number of intake and exhaust ports. Further, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1, the internal combustion engine 12 also includes a fuel injector 40 installed in the intake manifold 32 as a means for introducing main supply fuel / air into the combustion chamber 22 through the intake port 36. . Similarly, combustion products exit combustion chamber 22 through exhaust port 38. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the engine 12 may employ an injector that directly injects the main feed fuel into the combustion chamber 22. Similarly, the engine 12 may also include a number of other existing components commonly known in the art and not described in detail herein.

  Generally, the fuel / air mixture is introduced into the combustion chamber 22 via the intake port 36. This constitutes the main supply fuel. The fuel is ignited in the combustion chamber 22 of the cylinder 14 and causes the piston 20 to reciprocate as will be described in more detail below. The piston 20 drives a connecting rod 24 that drives a crankshaft 28 and rotates the crankshaft in the engine block 16. Specifically, the combustion pressure in the cylinder 14 drives the piston 20 downward in a substantially linear motion. On the other hand, the movement of the crankshaft 28 drives the connecting rod 24 in a substantially rotational motion. Torque from the crankshaft 28 can be utilized to drive any other component or related system, as is generally known in the art.

Referring now to FIGS. 2-6, the ignition system 10 of the present invention includes a housing, generally designated 42, that is partitioned within the cylinder head 18 of the internal combustion engine 12. In one embodiment, the housing 42 is a separate component that is operably supported in the cylinder head 18 of the internal combustion engine. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the housing 42 can be substantially defined within and form an integral part of the cylinder head 18. In any case, in the embodiment illustrated in these drawings, the cylinder head 18 is in a manner such that the housing 42 is sealingly engaged with the cylinder head 18, as will be described in more detail below. A port 44 (FIG. 1) for receiving the housing 42 may be included. Further, as will be described in more detail below, the port 44 can be substantially sized and positioned so that the port conventionally received a standard spark plug in the internal combustion engine 12. . This feature facilitates retrofitting existing engines using the ignition system 10 of the present invention. As best shown in FIG. 3, the housing 42 defines a spark plug cavity 46, an injector cavity 48, and a pre-combustion chamber 50. Each of these components and their interrelationship with other components of the ignition system 10 will be described in more detail below.

  The housing 42 also includes a substantially cylindrical portion 52 that has an annular groove 54 disposed around the cylindrical portion 52. As best shown in FIG. 4, the O-ring seal 56 is operatively received in the groove 54 and is suitable for sealing engagement of the cylinder head 18. In addition, the housing 42 also includes a frustoconical portion 58 having a flat portion 60 formed thereon (FIG. 2). The flat portion 60 cooperates with a corresponding surface formed on the cylinder head 18 to stabilize and assist the fixing of the housing 42 with respect to the cylinder head 18 (FIG. 4). The frustoconical portion 58 ends at the shoulder 62. The shoulder is juxtaposed with a shoulder 64 defined on the cylinder head 18. A sealing washer 66 can also be used between these two shoulders 62, 64 to seal the ignition system 10 within the cylinder head 18. The housing 42 also includes a termination, generally indicated at 68, which includes a male screw 70 and a female screw 72. The male screw 70 cooperates with a thread 74 formed on the cylinder head 18 to install the housing 42 in the cylinder head. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the ignition system can include any other suitable sealing and securing mechanism necessary to securely install the ignition system within the cylinder head 18.

The pre-combustion chamber 50 defines a pre-combustion chamber nozzle, indicated generally at a base end 76 and 78, which is spaced from the base end 76 of the pre-combustion chamber 50. As best shown in FIG. 4, the pre-combustion chamber 50 includes a frustoconical side wall 80 that extends substantially from the proximal end 76 to the pre-combustion chamber nozzle 78, said pre-combustion chamber. A predetermined volume of the chamber is defined. The pre-combustion chamber nozzle 78 defines a longitudinal axis A and includes a plurality of orifices 82. The orifices are spaced apart from each other and provide fluid communication between the pre-combustion chamber 50 and the combustion chamber 2. In one embodiment, the orifices 82 have a diameter in the range of 0.7 mm to 2.0 mm and are arranged about the longitudinal axis A at a predetermined interval relative to each other. Further, in one embodiment, the ratio of the orifice diameter to the pre-combustion chamber volume is ideally between 0.048 1 / cm ^{2 and} 0.067 1 / cm ² . In order to ensure the effective introduction of a vigorous turbulent jet into the main combustion chamber, this ratio provides an optimal minimum and maximum component size in proportion thereto. This effective introduction in turn guarantees the optimum turbulence of the ignition point resulting from the intense turbulent jet in the main combustion chamber, so that an effective and optimal combustion phenomenon occurs. This is explained in more detail below. Precombustion chamber nozzle 78 is substantially cup-shaped and includes male threads 68. The male screw cooperates with the female screw 72 on the terminal portion 68 of the housing 42 to install the nozzle 78 so as to contact the terminal portion.

Ignition system 10 also includes an ignition device shown generally at 86, ignition device is received so as to be operated in the spark plug cavity 46. The ignition device 86 includes an igniter portion 88 that substantially faces the precombustion chamber 50. Similarly, the injector 90 is received in operable injector cavity 48. The injector 90 has a nozzle 92 that substantially faces the precombustion chamber 50. The ignition system 10 also includes a cooling tube 94 (FIG. 2) that provides fluid communication between the cooling fluid source and the housing 42. The cooling fluid can be either air, water, or some other fluid suitable for this purpose. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the cooling tube 94 and the supply of cooling fluid are optional. Furthermore, the ignition system 10 of the present invention can also use a direct-injection installation sleeve 96 (FIG. 2) that surrounds the injector 90 and places this component in a port 44 formed in the cylinder head 19. Fix it.

In one embodiment, the igniter portion 88 of the igniter 86 and the nozzle 92 of the injector 90 are operable at the proximal end of the pre-combustion chamber 50 such that the injector 90 carries a predetermined amount of fuel into the pre-combustion chamber 50. And are arranged on the same plane. The igniter unit 88 ignites the fuel in the pre-combustion chamber 50. Once ignited, the fuel is forced through the orifice 82 of the precombustion chamber nozzle 78 so that the flame is extinguished. Even when extinguished, the product of the precombustion chamber is dispersed through the combustion chamber 22 and ignites the main fuel supply in the combustion chamber.

  An ignition sequence using the ignition system 10 of the present invention is illustrated in FIG. The ignition sequence differs from conventional spark ignition fuel strategies in that there is a pre-combustion chamber fuel additive (about 2% of total energy). The precombustion chamber fuel is injected into the precombustion chamber 50 by the injector 90 and then ignited by the ignition device 86. The fuel injection in the pre-combustion chamber ends when it reaches about 50 ° before the spark discharge. This ensures that a rich and rich mixture can be included in the pre-combustion chamber 50. In the pre-combustion chamber, it has been found that the combustion process is chemically accelerated by the formation of active radicals.

  The net effect of this phenomenon is to create a so-called “turbulent jet ignition” situation. Turbulent jet ignition allows a very fast burning rate with the ignition system 10 producing a plurality of dispersed ignition positions. The ignition position quickly consumes the main supply fuel so that fuel variations are minimized. Due to the relatively small size of the orifice 82, the burning mixture moves quickly through the orifice 82. As described above, the orifice extinguishes the flame, but uses the precombustion chamber product that has been partially combusted, so that the combustion chamber 22 is ignited. The pre-combustion chamber combustion products entrain and ignite the main chamber fuel at a distance from the pre-combustion chamber 50 by chemical, thermal and turbulent effects. This creates a distributed ignition system.

As described above, the diameter of the orifice 82 and the ratio of these diameters to the volume of the pre-combustion chamber create a turbulent jet that penetrates deeply into the main feed fuel. In one preferred embodiment, the precombustion chamber volume is relatively small to achieve this goal and as a means of avoiding collisions with the combustion chamber walls. Compared to conventional spark-ignited combustion, the lean combustion level (lean combustion and / or exhaust gas recirculation (EGR)) can be improved by a faster combustion rate. With the lean fraction, the ignition system 10 of the present invention can record an 18% improvement over conventional stoichiometric spark ignition combustion for fuel consumption in an unoptimized engine. However, it is expected that an improvement of as much as 30% will be realized for fuel consumption in an engine with an optimized combustion chamber. The improved efficiency is due to a combination of improved combustion, i.e., nearly eliminating weak pyrolysis due to low combustion temperatures, and reduced engine throttle. In addition, low temperature combustion resulted in single digit ppm of exhaust leaving the engine (NO _x ) with controllable levels of HC and CO exhaust.

  8A-8H show relevant data derived from the performance of a single cylinder of the ignition system of the present invention, which is a comparison of efficiency and emissions between the present invention and a standard spark ignition engine. The comparison includes the conditions for the net indicated mean effective pressure (IMEPn) at 1.500 rev / min, 3.3 bar, which is a universal mapping point at a constant speed / load. Is due to. The spark ignition test was performed using port fueled gasoline, while the ignition system of the present invention used a mixture of about 98% gasoline and 2% propane. The gasoline was port fuel injected into the main chamber, while the propane was injected directly into the precombustion chamber. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that any carbon-based fuel can be used for the pre-combustion chamber fuel.

  More specifically, FIG. 8A shows a comparison of combustion stability at the total indicated mean effective pressure (CoV IMEPg) limit of up to 10% coefficient of variation for both rich and lean conditions. Excessive air reveals that the ignition system of the present invention can operate up to an exhaust gas λ of 2.1, while that of a standard spark ignition system is only 1.4.

  FIGS. 8B, 8C, and 8D show that the low exhaust temperature associated with high excess air velocity can be near the low temperature limit required for efficient HC and CO oxidation. When the exhaust gas λ is equivalent, the ignition system of the present invention produces an exhaust temperature that is, on average, 20-40 ° C. lower than spark ignition. This is due to the improved burning rate that minimizes many losses to the exhaust system. In addition, another major benefit of the ignition system of the present invention when compared to other low temperature combustion systems is that the combustion stroke can be controlled by changing the spark discharge of the pre-combustion chamber. This provides a relatively simple combustion control method for exhaust gas and fuel consumption. In addition, these figures show that the engine dethrottling (manifold pressure increased while maintaining the same load) using the ignition system of the present invention, when compared to stoichiometric spark ignition, the manifold absolute It is shown to work at about 30 kPa higher than pressure (MAP). This can reduce the pumping loss to about 0.3 bar pumping mean effective pressure (PMEP).

  FIG. 8E demonstrates that when used in a single cylinder test facility, the ignition system of the present invention can produce an 18% improvement in fuel consumption compared to stoichiometric spark ignition combustion. As discussed above, the improvement in efficiency is due to a combination of improved combustion, i.e., nearly eliminating weak pyrolysis due to low combustion temperatures and reduced engine throttling.

8F and 8G show a comparison of exhaust gases exiting the engine between an engine that utilizes the ignition system of the present invention and a standard spark ignition engine. As described above, in the ignition system of the present invention, the internal combustion engine may use a high level of excess air in the main fuel / air. High levels of excess air, to facilitate the extremely small amount of NO _X emissions exiting the engine. This is due to the lower peak combustion temperature. FIGS. 8F and 8G show that when the jet ignition system of the present invention is used in an internal combustion engine, NO _x emissions are reduced to near zero levels (less than 10 ppm) for exhaust gas λ values greater than 1.8. It shows that. This advantage associated with the ignition system of the present invention provides unique exhaust gas control opportunities and methods that are not feasible when applying spark ignition lean burn. NO _X emissions emanating from the engine, there is very low when λ1.8 is large, after the exhaust control process, offers the possibility of eliminating the requirement for dilute NO _X. Rather, in the ignition system of the present invention, the exhaust exiting the engine can be controlled using a known three-way catalyst.

  8G and 8H provide a comparison for HC and CO emissions between the two systems. These two figures reveal that for each combustion system there is a significant increase shown to reach rich and lean dilution limits.

  9A through 9E show spark ignition and ignition of the present invention when the dilution level is increased to the limit of combustion stability at 1,500 rev / min, net illustrated mean effective pressure (IMPEn) at 3.3 bar. A combustion comparison is shown for both internal combustion engines using the system. FIG. 9A represents spark discharges at 10%, 50%, and 90% combustion angle positions. The combustion angle indicates a crank angle at which combustion can reach a mass ratio of 10 to 90% (the supplied fuel). 9B and 9D and FIGS. 9C and 9E reveal periods of 0 to 10% and 10 to 90% combustion mass fraction, respectively.

  The data related to the combustion angle shown in FIG. 9A shows that the ignition system of the present invention can tolerate fairly high levels of dilution in lean regions. Distributed ignition occurs due to the turbulent jet resulting from the ignition system of the present invention, providing a significant increase in combustion rate, resulting in faster flame generation and thereby faster flame propagation. Despite fundamentally different combustion processes, the optimal 50% combustion angle for both spark ignition and the ignition system of the present invention occurs in the 6-8 ° ATDC CA range that varies the dilution of excess air. It is also noted. Furthermore, in the ignition system of the present invention, flame generation occurs faster than in the case of spark ignition over the entire dilution range.

  As best shown in FIGS. 9B and 9D, flame mass does not change significantly with increasing λ due to 0-10% combustion mass fraction of turbulent jet ignition of excess air, near 20-25 ° CA It is clarified that the result is constantly changing. This is due to the nearly constant mixture composition in the precombustion chamber, which is a distributed type provided in the precombustion chamber by the jet and the high level of chemically active species present in the combustion jet. Related to the ignition position. For internal combustion engines that utilize spark ignition, after a spark discharge, it takes time to generate and stabilize the flame kernel, which is due to the nuclear growth associated with the diluted mixture.

  The 10-90% burn-up mass data shown in FIGS. 9C and 9E indicate the ability of the mixture to propagate the flame. These results reveal that in such cases, flame propagation slows down as the leanness increases, which reduces the flame velocity in relation to rich or lean mixtures and low combustion temperatures. By being done. Similar to the 0-10% combustion period, the 10-90% combustion period is shorter for the ignition system of the present invention than for spark ignition. During the flame propagation part of the combustion process, the effect of the jet is not as pronounced, but once the gasoline is ignited in the main chamber, 10-90% combustion data indicates the propagation of multiple flames forward with the main fuel. To clarify more. However, the precombustion chamber fuel continues to play a role during the combustion of the main fuel, as evidenced by the short combustion time that occurs in the ignition system of the present invention rather than spark ignition. This is due to the enhanced combustion provided by the precombustion chamber fuel and the high levels of active radicals generated in the combustion jet maintained in the propagating flame.

Thus, the ignition system of the present invention achieves significantly improved operating parameters by using a number of features that facilitate these results. For example, a relatively small precombustion chamber volume with a void volume of less than 2% minimizes void volume, HC exhaust, heat loss, specific surface area effects, and precombustion chamber residual gas. A relatively small orifice 82 (having a diameter of 0.7 mm to 2.0 mm) provides fluid communication between the pre-combustion chamber 50 and the main combustion chamber 22, can quench the flame, and the combustion chamber 22 A flame can be introduced inside. Post-combustion precombustion chamber products (chemical, thermal, and turbulent effects) initiate combustion in the main chamber at multiple locations. In addition, the separate fuel-type pre-combustion chamber 50 uses an electrically controlled embedded direct injection injector 86 so that the combustion chamber 22 is sufficiently diluted with excess air and / or EGR. During this time, a rich mixture can be included in the pre-combustion chamber 50. The position of the injector 86 at the base 76 of the pre-combustion chamber 50 helps remove pre-combustion chamber residues and minimize the void volume. When the internal combustion engine uses a separate combustion type combustion chamber 22 that uses electrically controlled port fuel injection, for example, direct injection, the present invention provides a homogenized or stratified combustion chamber. Allows a mixture, and thus allows control of the HC / NO _X exhaust. Furthermore, the spark plug that initiates fuel in the pre-combustion chamber uses an embedded igniter 86 with electrically controlled ignition, allowing control of a single combustion stroke. Furthermore, the ignition system 10 of the present invention uses commercially available fuels such as gasoline, propane, or natural gas for both the main and precombustion chamber combustion voids.

  In this way, the ignition system of the present invention enables high peak thermal efficiency (greater than 45%) with wide open throttle (WOT) and improved fuel efficiency in high drive cycles (partial load). Yes, fuel efficiency improvements can reach up to 30% over standard conventional spark ignition systems in an optimized engine. These improvements in engine performance are due to a combination of improved combustion, reduced heat loss, little dissociation due to low combustion temperatures, and reduced engine throttle at part load. Furthermore, compared with the conventional spark ignition combustion system, the ignition system of the present invention facilitates low temperature combustion that can substantially reduce NOx exhaust discharged from the engine, while the above-described precombustion chamber combustion is performed. Overcoming the decline in peak performance (BMEP: net mean effective pressure) and obstacles to uncontrollable hydrocarbon (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO) emissions. As such, the ignition system of the present invention can be utilized in engines with existing exhaust control systems found in conventional passenger cars (oxidation and three-way catalysts) to meet current and future emission regulations. Finally, the ignition system of the present invention also provides a “bolt” fixation that can function on any spark ignition engine (before and after production) without requiring modification of the underlying engine hardware.

  The invention has been described in an illustrative manner. It should be understood that the terminology used is intended to be the essence of the words described, rather than the word limitations. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. Accordingly, the present invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.

Claims (4)

An ignition system for an internal combustion engine having at least one combustion chamber,
The ignition system includes:
A housing defined in a cylinder head of the internal combustion engine and defining a pre-combustion chamber;
An igniter having an igniter portion supported within the housing and substantially facing the pre-combustion chamber;
An injector supported within the housing and including a nozzle substantially facing the pre-combustion chamber;
The housing is a port included in the cylinder head, has a substantial size as if it received a standard spark plug, and a position where it received the standard spark plug Configured to be received by a port substantially disposed on
The pre-combustion chamber defines a base end portion and a pre-combustion chamber nozzle disposed at a distance from the base end portion of the pre-combustion chamber, and the pre-combustion chamber nozzle includes a plurality of orifices, The orifice has a diameter in the range of 0.7 mm to 2.0 mm, is spaced apart from one another, and is in fluid communication between the pre-combustion chamber and the combustion chamber;
The pre-combustion chamber defines a predetermined volume, and a ratio of a diameter of the orifice to a volume of the pre-combustion chamber is in a range of 0.048 1 / cm ^{2 to} 0.067 1 / cm ² ;
The igniter portion of the ignition device and the nozzle of the injector are configured so that the injector carries a predetermined amount of fuel into the precombustion chamber, and the igniter portion ignites the fuel in the precombustion chamber, thereby The ignited fuel is pushed through the orifice of the pre-combustion chamber and extinguished, but the ignited fuel is dispersed through the combustion chamber and is in the main supply in the combustion chamber Operatively supported at the base end of the pre-combustion chamber to ignite fuel,
Ignition system. The pre-combustion chamber nozzle defines a longitudinal axis and the orifices are disposed about the longitudinal axis in spaced relation to each other;
The ignition system according to claim 1. An internal combustion engine comprising an engine block including at least one cylinder, a piston supported in said cylinder for repeated reciprocation, and a cylinder head;
The piston, cylinder and cylinder head cooperate to define at least one combustion chamber;
The cylinder head includes at least one intake port through which main fuel air flows into the combustion chamber, and at least one exhaust port through which combustion products exit the combustion chamber;
The internal combustion engine further includes an ignition system, the ignition system including a housing operably supported within the cylinder head of the internal combustion engine, the housing defining a pre-combustion chamber;
The internal combustion engine includes an ignition device that is supported in the housing and has an igniter portion that substantially faces the precombustion chamber, and a nozzle that is supported in the housing and substantially faces the precombustion chamber. An injector and a port included in the cylinder head for receiving the housing, having a substantial size as if receiving a standard spark plug and receiving the standard spark plug; A port that is substantially arranged at the position as it was,
The pre-combustion chamber defines a base end portion and a pre-combustion chamber nozzle disposed at a distance from the base end portion of the pre-combustion chamber, and the pre-combustion chamber nozzle includes a plurality of orifices, The orifice has a diameter in the range of 0.7 mm to 2.0 mm, is spaced apart from one another, and is in fluid communication between the pre-combustion chamber and the combustion chamber;
The pre-combustion chamber defines a predetermined volume, and a ratio of a diameter of the orifice to a volume of the pre-combustion chamber is in a range of 0.048 1 / cm ^{2 to} 0.067 1 / cm ² ;
The igniter portion of the ignition device and the nozzle of the injector are configured so that the injector carries a predetermined amount of fuel into the precombustion chamber, and the igniter portion ignites the fuel in the precombustion chamber, thereby The ignited fuel is pushed through the orifice of the pre-combustion chamber and extinguished, but the ignited fuel is dispersed through the combustion chamber and is in the main supply in the combustion chamber Operatively supported at the base end of the pre-combustion chamber to ignite fuel,
Internal combustion engine. The pre-combustion chamber nozzle defines a longitudinal axis and the orifices are disposed about the longitudinal axis in spaced relation to each other;
The internal combustion engine according to claim 3.

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